A mum-of-two has been forced out of work for the first time in 15 years after seeing her childcare costs double since moving to Wales.

Lyndsey Nickels upped sticks from Torquay and headed to Rhyl just before Christmas, but has been unable to afford to continue her career as a swimming instructor due to crippling after school club fees.

The 29-year-old single mum was paying £50 a week for her two children, Euann and Anya, to use the facility while living in Devon.

But despite being offered two jobs since her arrival in Denbighshire, she can’t afford the £100 weekly child care cost she would have to pay here.

Lyndsey said: “The after school fee here is twice what I was paying in England. Here, it costs £10 per child per day, so that would be £100 a week. Because of this it’s just not cost effective for me to work.

“I have always worked since I was 15 and I just find it so frustrating that I now can’t continue to do so.”

She added: “In Torquay, I was a swimming instructor working 18 hours a week. Unfortunately I have only been offered positions here of 10 hours as there is not much work.

“It’s the first time in my life that I have ever not worked and the first time I have had to claim benefits and I am struggling.

“I’m trying to find a second job to take me up to 16 hours so that I can get working tax credits and help towards childcare. It’s the only way I can get back in to work. I am very eager to do so. The Government are telling you to work and are cutting benefits but are not doing a great deal to help with the child care situation. Something has to change.”

Both parents and childcare professionals took to Facebook yesterday to air their views on the situation.

Kerry Aldcroft said: “I'm working 32 hours per week and my partner is full time. For our child to be in nursery four days a week, 90% of my wages alone pay for his monthly fees.”

Elfed Wyn Morgan said: “We are both working full time. We take our boys, aged one and two, to a child minder twice a week and it costs us £70 a day for the two. We can pay up to £630 some months, with no help at all from the government. Sometimes I think I would better off being home looking after the two.”